There are so many different diets and weight loss supplements it is easy to be confused. Unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to losing weight. You can spend a lot of money on special foods, pills, shakes, or meetings and counseling and still not see the scale dropping to where you want it. If you truly want or need to drop some pounds, here are a few important things to consider when perusing all the options available.
Amount of Loss
Unless you are working closely with a medical doctor in a one-on-one manner, you should not go with any plan or product that claims you will lose more than 2 to 3 pounds a week. While you may end up losing more at first, especially if you are severely overweight, it will not be the norm. Too quick of a loss is not only unhealthy, it will be very difficult to keep this weight off when you reach your goal.
Flexibility
Losing weight in a manner that will keep it off for good takes time unless you only have a few pounds to lose. This means that whatever it is you decide to do should be flexible. If it requires you to eat only a few different foods, or skip a food group, you are more prone to cheat. You need to be able to eat a large variety of foods that you would normally find in your kitchen. While there will probably be some foods you don't eat regularly to help keep you healthy and full, you shouldn't have to restock your pantry and get rid of everything already in there.
Cost
Make sure you know upfront how much it is going to cost you. If you will need to buy special books, supplements, foods, or pay for meetings. Once you find something that fits your lifestyle and food requirements, you need to make sure it fits your budget. You do not want to have to quit midway through the program because you couldn't afford it any longer.
Sticking to a new eating regimen is not going to be easy. It will be important that you find the one that you are comfortable with and actually enjoy. You want this to be something you can use as a base for your future eating habits once you reach your goal. If the plan is too different from the way you eat now you will go back to your old habits and gain the weight back. Contact a weight loss center for more help.
